Emmerdale spoilers follow.
Emmerdale star Michael Parr has teased that fans should prepare for some “surprise reveals” involving his character Ross Barton.
This week, it looked like Ross’ romance with Steph Miligan was back on – but his failure to disclose his one-night stand with Manpreet led to the end of their relationship and Steph’s exit from the village.
Speaking exclusively to us at a photoshoot for the Inside Soap Awards 2025, Michael confirmed that there is a lot more in store for Ross, including some juicy twists.
He said: "I know that there’s going to be a lot more fun, there’s going to be a lot of surprise reveals, and just constant drama."
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While Ross has been involved in some hugely dramatic plots over the years, this year Michael is nominated for Best Comic Performance, and he is happy about this big change.
"It’s quite a surprise," Michael told us. "I came back as Ross Barton the bad boy, but it turns out that he’s got a bit of a comedic side and I really love it.
"When I meet people in the street and they tell me that what I’ve done has made them laugh, I think that means more to me now than when they used to say, ‘that scene with Donna made me cry’. Now I enjoy putting smiles on people’s faces a lot more."
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Viewers have also seen a new side to Ross in recent months following the arrival of his long-lost brother Lewis. Michael is full of praise for his co-star Bradley Riches – who is nominated for Best Newcomer at this year’s awards.
"When they told me I was getting a brother, I immediately assumed it was going to be Pete," he reflected. "Then they told me it was going to be the lovely Bradley, and when he came on set, he just walked in with this effulgent grace.
"He was so charismatic and so much fun, and the audience have loved him – but not as much as I have enjoyed working with him."
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It’s been almost a year since Michael reprised his role in Emmerdale after a six-year absence, and he admitted that his return to set proved surprisingly tricky.
He said: "It was quite nerve-wracking really, and it was more to do with remembering the lines. But once I settled into it and found my rhythm, I was just so grateful to be back. Every day I count my blessings."
When asked why viewers should vote for Emmerdale in the Best Soap category this year, Michael replied: "We work so hard. Emmerdale in particular is such a beautiful place to work. Everybody that comes to work here, cast and crew, always leaves with a smile on their face. So that is why we deserve the win."
Don’t forget to check out the full Emmerdale photoshoot in the current issue of Inside Soap, out now, and click the video at the top of the page to see all our behind-the-scenes footage.
Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV1, and streams on ITVX.
Read more Emmerdale spoilers on our dedicated homepage
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